ALBUM REVIEW: Hummer – How Did I Get Here?
(Horn & Hoof Records)
Hummer are a three-piece who play melodic punk which sounds like it should come from the west coast of the US, rather than the north west of the UK.
The Warrington trio clearly listened to a lot of Green Day and Blink-182 when they were growing up, along with homegrown bands like Leatherface.
But they’ve developed a sound which is very much their own, which quickly becomes evident on this second full-length offering.
The album was released in December, just before the UK was plunged into a third national lockdown, and I confess it passed me by when it came out.
But thanks to Scott at Horn & Hoof Records, Hummer are very much on my radar now.
Humming with energy
It’s a blast from start to finish, and Will (bass/vox), Joe (guitar/vox) and Matthew (drums) must be bursting to get out there and play it live.
It’s full of energy from the off, and the way Will and Joe share lead vocals reminds me of Hot Water Music more than anyone.
Most of the songs are shorter and snappier than those on their 2016 debut EP Work. Home. Bed. and 2018’s debut full-length Budweiser And Butter.
All but one clock in at less than three minutes, and spirited lead single Whisky Eyes (sorry, couldn’t resist…) doesn’t even make it to two.
A Quiet One, which opens proceedings, is anything but; a cautionary tale about having one too many drinks, it’s full of vim and vigour.
Next up is CUI, which warns of the perils of cycling home drunk, while Whisky Eyes is about being unable to sleep. Do you see a pattern emerging here?
Booze time
3 Days contemplates lockdown’s effects on mental health, while Never Mind, It’ll Soon Be Monday is a reflection on booze-fuelled weekends.
If this was a record we’d be flipping over onto side two now, and if you think the first half was good, prepare to be blown away.
Blurring The Lines is a swaggering tune about being unable to pluck up the courage to chat up someone you fancy, and a strong contender for best song on the album.
WA5ive leaves the listener in no doubt what Hummer think of Warrington, as the co-vocalists sing: “my hometown’s a fucking shithole, born from rugby league and soap”, and ends by pleading “please tell me, is there a way out?”
Keyboard warriors are the target of Online Civil War, while Hard Habits Die Old is a great song with clever lyrics about a friend (or loved one?) being in denial about a life full of drunk and drugs.
Past glories
The intro from The Clash’s Tommy Gun opens the final track, but it’s a red herring, and Nostalgia explodes into another standout song about punks living in the past.
I hadn’t even heard of Hummer before I clapped my ears on this album. Now they’re on my list of ‘must-see’ bands when the world returns to normal. 8/10.
- How Did I Get Here? is available on CD and download from the Horn & Hoof Bandcamp page HERE. https://hornhoofrecords.bandcamp.com/album/how-did-i-get-here
